I'm 18 and I have been working out for well over a year. I'm currently taking protein, and I've heard a lot about creatine and all of it good.

I'm a bit confused on what exactly it does, and what it will do if you discontinue it's use... I've also heard that you can take creatine in caps rather than the powder. Is there a difference? Because I'm leading more towards the caps if I do start myself on it, because I'm trying to gain muscle but keep my calories low. What's the difference? Is there any?

And also, if I do discontinue use sometime down the road what can I expect - though I'll still be working out daily if I do stop taking it.

A guy I work out with told me creatine causes muscle cramps. Have any of you that teke it, experienced this?

Once you drink the creatine you want to chase it with something like Gatorade because the gatorade has electrolites that will help deliver the creatine to your muscles, often people who cramp simply are not hydrated correctly.....

I take NO Xplode...
Creatine helps in the repair of muscle fiber and makes your muscles hold water you may have a little bloated feeling from this. Creatine is the hands down the most studied supplement on the market today, due to rumors of kidney and liver damage. To have this type of side effect you would have to ingest more than your body would let you over a period of time (i mean a lot.)

Caps vs powder: The difference is the absorbancy rating powders that are dissolved are always going to absorb more into your body than caps and are going to work faster as well, if you can get pre mixed that has already broken down it will be the best but the cost would go up significantly. a lot of the supplements that people ingest are filtered through the kidneys or liver and flushed out of the body.

Going off: There are no side effects to coming off creatine. However your body takes a little while to get used to something new this is why NO Xplode and NO Shotgun recommend that you start with a small dose and work up to it (they also have other properties that factor in.) The same sould be used when coming off anything, just taper off (in this case maybe over a couple days) this way it is not as jarring to your muscles and you will not hinder any results. I recommend a 6 week cycle to help keep from a plateau effect.

Creatine is used by your muscles to create energy, ATP. There are two other ways your body can create energy (aerboic and anaerboic) using glucose, but creatine is by far the fastest. When it comes to strength training, it's extremely helpful. The more energy your muscles have, the more weight/reps you can lift, and the bigger your muscles will get.

Creatine's effective because your muscles are not at full creatine storage capacity. Thus, the additional creatine you consume fills that void.

If you discontinue it, nothing detrimental will happen. You may lose some strength and stamina, but nothing as far as health risks.

If you can stick with the powder. It's a lot cheaper. You can get 3 months worth for under $20. It's tasteless. You can add it to water, and you won't even taste it (it'll just have a sandy feel).

Don't let people convince you that you need a special creatine. Creatine monohydrate is fine. The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition just released a report not too long ago that claims "all creatines are created equal thus far." So, don't spend $40 on a creatine product. Plus, creatine ethyl ester tastes horrible.

Start with a loading dose, around 20 grams per day split into 4 doses, for 3-5 days, and then take 5 grams prior to your workout and 5 grams after your workout.

Many people will tell you to drink plenty of water while taking it to avoid muscle cramps. It's a good idea, but it's never been proven to work.

You really have nothing to worry about. It has the most scientific evidence behind it, and it's one of the safest dietary supplements on the market. Clinicians have even been studying it in the elderly.